Multiple chamber tire



May 15, 1951 J. J. HRUS/KA MULTIPLE CHAMBER TIRE Original Filed Feb. 25,1944 Patented May 15, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE CHAMBERTIRE Joseph J. I-Iruska, Milwaukee, Wis.

Original application February 25, 1944, Serial No.

523,856. Divided and this application November 23, 1946, Serial No.712,029

2 Claims. 1

My invention refers to double compartment pneumatic tires having a heavypunctureproof tread, wherein when the side walls of the outercompartments develop leakage through puncture or other causes, the innercompartment will maintain the load to prevent accidents by a totalcollapse of said tire.

The specific object of my invention is to provide an inflating valve forthe outer compartment and second valve controlled inflating ports forthe main inner compartment.

A further object of my invention is to provide double valve controlnipples for directly and simultaneously inflating both compartments at auniform pressure.

The above referred to invention is a division of my patent application,Number 523,856, filed February 25, 1944, which has matured into PatentNo. 2,547,191 on April 3, 1951.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides: in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itbeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of theherein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, is illustrated one complete example of thephysical embodiment of the present invention constructed according tothe best mode so far devised for the ractical application of theprinciples thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a cross sectional view of a double compartmentpneumatic tire embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary face view of a form of valve control for theinner compartment.

Figure 3 is another form of said valve.

Figure is a cross sectional view of another form of my invention whereinvalve controlled ports for the inner compartments are dispensed with andboth compartments have companion valve control nipples forsimultaneously inflating the same.

Referring by characters to the drawing, with special reference toFigures 1 to 3 inclusive of the same, l indicates a non-puncture prooftread having side walls 2 terminating at their base ends with clincherbeads 3 seated in a standard tire rim 4.

Nested within the casing is a double wall tube having an outercompartment 5 and an inner main compartment 6, the same being mergedinto a heavy tread 1.

The tread I is split by an interlocked seam 8 whereby access for repairsmay be had to the main inner compartment and also for use in assemblageand for convenience in manufacture.

The tread seam 8 intermediately is closed by a flat tape 9 having anedge vulcanized to one wall of the seam and free at the other edge tolap the companion wall.

The outer edges of the dividing seam 8 are suitably reinforced by strips8 and said seam is then sealed by adhesive tapes 9-, which tapes 9 areripped off when access is desired to the main compartment for repairs orthe like.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive of the drawings, the innercompartment wall 6 is provided with ports In, which ports are controlledby valve members to be hereinafter specifically described. One of theupper pairs of ports I0 is controlled by a valve patch I I having an endvulcanized to the wall 6 above the port II). The

free end of the valve patch is provided with an aperture il which, undernormal inflation conditions, registers with the port whereby air fromthe outer compartment will freely flow into the inner compartment.

When said inner compartment 5 is partially deflated by puncture orleakage from the outer compartment, it is apparent that the walls 6' ofthe inner compartment will collapse slightly and downwardly from thetread to thus cut off communication between the port I 6 and the outercompartment 5 whereby a volume of air is confined within the innercompartment to support the load for a predetermined length of timewhereby total collapse of the tire is avoided.

The companion associated port It is provided with a valve patch [2having its upper edge vulcanized to the wall a with its free edgeterminating just above the port Ill, hence, when the inner compartment 6partially collapses, the lower edge of this patch valve !2 will slideover and close the communicating port id.

As indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings, a third valve controlled portI3 is provided with a flexible patch l2 secured at one end to the wall 5and its free end is provided with a nib i2 which normally closes theport ii].

For inflating the outer compartment 5, the base of the wall 5 hasextending therefrom a standard valve control nipple l3. Hence, when airpressure is introduced through this nipple into the outer compartment,it will also pass through the ports IE3 and uniformly inflate the innercompartment.

Referring especially to Figure 4 of the drawings, the side Walls of thecasing are similar to the casing previously described, from the walls ofa continuous outer compartment 5.

Nested with this casing is a single tube I l,

one lower end of which has vulcanized thereto 'a slotted inner lappedflange Iii of a base ring 16. The flange H: has an outer spaced flange15 which flange is vulcanized to the inner face of the casing side wall2.

A companion flange l6 extends upwardly from a base ring [6, and it isvulcanized to the associated end of the tube [4. a

An outer circumferentially split flange I! also extends from the flangeI6 and the split end of the same is secured by vulcanization to the wall2 of the casing. The split in the above mentioned double flange unit issealed by a U- shaped flap I8, one stem of which is vulcanized to theend of the tube I4 while the outer stem loosely engages the ring flangell, as shown. The bottom wal1 space between the flanges l8 and H, isreinforced by tape 19 to which tape a circular ribbon 28 is adhesivelysecured, whereby the split or seam is sealed.

It is understood that the division split between the flanges is for thepurpose of permitting access to the outer compartment 5 formed by thespaced walls 2 of the casing and associated tube wall [4.

The base rings I6 and I6 are grooved for the reception of a band 2|,which band is secured by vulcanization to complete the inner tube. Theband 2! and the associated base ring flanges l5 and I5 have extendingtherefrom a pair of inflating nipples 22 and 22', which nipples, asshown, are adapted to be fitted with a double nozzle air inflation head23.

Hence, by this simple arrangement pressure from the pump may besimultaneously and directly introduced into the inner and outercompartments.

While I have shown and described three forms of valves, it is understoodthat I may use any one of these valves without departing from the spiritof my invention.

I claim:

1. In a pneumatic tire, a wheel rim, a onepiece tube inserted within atire casing, the one- 4 piece tube comprising a heavy split tread havingextended from its ends endless walls spaced apart to form a large innerair chamber and a restricted outer air chamber, the split tread havinginterlocked tongue and grooves, inner and outer adhesive tapes forclosing the seams in the split tread, an inwardly opening valve for theinner wall of the tube and a valve controlled air nipple extendingthrough the tire rim in communication with the air space between theinner and outer tube walls.

2. In a pneumatic tire, a wheel rim, a onepiece inner tube and a tirecasing, the inner tube comprising a heavy split tread portion havinginter-locked tongues and grooves, inner and outer adhesive tapes forsealing the tread split, a main compartment formed by an endless thininner compartment wall extending from the sides of the heavy treadportion, an outer thin wall extending from the sides of the heavy treadportion spaced from the inner compartment wall to form a chamber inconnection therewith, said thin inner compartment wall having portsadjacent to the heavy split tread portion, said outer thin wall havingan extended bottom seat for the wheel rim, a flexible nipplecommunicating with the extended bottom seat of the outer wall, andflexible patch strips having ends secured to the thin inner wall beyondthe ports, the other ends of the patch strips terminating beyond theports when the tire is fully inflated, whereby upon leakage of air fromthe outer chamber the side walls of the tire will partly collapse andcause the patch strip ends to travel over the ports and close the ports.

JOSEPH J. HRUSKA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 7 Date 1,331,541 VanMeeteren Feb. 24,1940 2,244,941 Degnon June 10, 1941 2,268,370 Barkeij 'Dec. 30, 19412,343,828 Burkley Mar. 7, 1944 2,404,578 Liska July 23. 1946

